NASA's InSight Mars Lander

space exploration · Mars · seismology · NASA

Listening to Mars. InSight placed seismometers on Mars to detect marsquakes, which are earthquakes that happen on the red planet. These vibrations helped scientists understand what's happening deep beneath Mars' surface.

Active interior confirmed. For decades, scientists wondered if Mars was geologically dead. InSight proved the planet is still active inside by recording hundreds of marsquakes, showing Mars has a warm, moving interior.

International teamwork. While NASA built and managed InSight, European space agencies constructed two of its three main scientific instruments. This cooperation combined the best minds from different countries to explore Mars.

Measuring heat flow. InSight had a special heat probe that drilled into the Martian soil to measure how much heat escapes from inside the planet. This data revealed how much thermal energy Mars still has.

Precise positioning. InSight used radio signals to measure tiny shifts in Mars' position, helping scientists understand how the planet wobbles in space. These measurements told us more about Mars' structure and composition.